Manchester City midfielder could reunite with former coach at Sevilla – report

Sevilla are soon expected to announce that Eduardo Berizzo is their new head coach, replacing Jorge Sampaoli who has taken charge of the Argentina national team. And one of Berizzo’s first signings could be a Manchester City outcast he knows very well.

Before leaving for Man City last summer, Nolito was coached by Berizzo at Celta Vigo, enjoying the best football of his career. And today’s edition of AS reports that Berizzo is very keen on a reunion at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán.

For now, Nolito is just an option because it would not be an easy deal for Óscar Arias, Sevilla’s director of football, to pull off. That is because the Andalusian club want Nolito on loan if they are to sign him, with City preferring to cut their losses on a player Pep Guardiola has lost faith in, by selling him.

Nolito’s eyes are fixed on next year’s World Cup and working his way back into the Spain squad, and he is desperate for a return to La Liga, with his hopes of regular football looking slimmer than ever at City with new big money arrivals.

The former Barcelona youth recently said, “I’m crazy about returning (to Spain), but it depends on City. They (City) keep signing players, let’s see if they’ll let me leave easily. I have several teams I’d prefer to join.”

Real Betis were the first to make an attempt for Nolito, but that link has died down in recent weeks. His former club, Celta Vigo, have said they are ‘working’ on a move for the 30-year-old, but have an even more limited budget than Sevilla. Perhaps the best option for the winger would have been Atletico Madrid, who were interested, but their transfer ban has put paid to that possibility.

If Sevilla do eventually land Nolito, he and Jesus Navas could occupy opposite wings in the same team again, with Navas still poised to return to his former side, despite fresh interest from Lazio in Serie A.